Painful Memories
by babygalsesh
Summary: Murder House, AU: What if the Harmon's never knew about the ghosts and had never died? What happens if they had continued living in the house, unaware of the ghosts living there down in the basement? What if Violet was the only one who knew about Tate and had no choice but to grow up?
1. Chapter 1

Set in a parallel universe.

She was beautiful.

Not just the typical blonde haired cliche hollywood type, but more of the small set of unique yet exquisite face features. To others, she looked average. Nothing about her physical appearance made her attractive but to Tate Langdon, she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

The way her long dirty blonde hair cascaded gently down her backside, swaying as she walked made her seem so young, innocence yet full of character and depth. Her down to heart smile sent Tate vibes of positiveness and happiness with an undertone of sadness.

He was entranced by her.

It had been almost 10 years since Tate had been shot in his old room upstairs, in 1994. He could still remember the loud sounds of footsteps that echoed loudly in the house, causing chills to slide down his backside.

After his death, Constance and Adelaide, had packed up their belongings and moved into the house next door. Constance remembered hearing how she hated this house with a passion she couldn't bare it anymore. The house had been empty ever since.

Of course on Halloween, when some rebellious kids decide to explore the empty murder house, most of them died. Tate didn't like it but Hayden, Travis' girlfriend apparently did. She killed almost every living thing that set foot on the property, just so she wouldn't have to be bored anymore. Tate could sense how much she missed being alive. He could see it in the way she carried herself, acting all snob and prude to the other ghosts when in reality, she was living the worst nightmare.

So imagine Tate's surprise when the Harmon's moved in. He had promised himself that he wouldn't harm the family. He wanted company, not the other ghosts but new living humans. He enjoyed watching their everyday life, watching as they took their each own part. Vivian, the mother would always be in the kitchen or her patio (one they had decorated along with a pool) sipping tea or gossiping with Moira, whereas the father, Ben would stay in his study all day or in his room jerking off to the thought of Moira.

But whereas with Violet, he watched her the most. He remembered the first time he had ever met her. Violet was 9 years old. He remembered laying eyes on her, a young thin girl bouncing up and down as she ran around the house every night with her lanky arms, hanging beside her awkwardly. Tate couldn't help but think of her as a young naive stupid little girl, watching her dress up in her mothers clothes while she painted her face with Vivian's makeup.

He wasn't sure what it was about her that made him feel more socially connected to her. Maybe it was the uncanny resemblance he saw in her, even when she was young. She looked exactly like Tate's first and only love when he was alive, Zoe Benson.

She was perfect, Tate could remember as he replayed every moment they shared together in his head. He thought about their first kiss to their first date, hell even to her first time. Then he remembered how everything went downhill, causing him to loose his way. But the weird thing was, despite looking exactly like his ex girlfriend, Violet had a completely different personality compared to Zoe.

Violet, as she grew, became more like him. Attracted to the darkness, enjoyed listening to Kurt Cobain and liked to read books about birds, or other things that normal people found boring. He was pleasurably entertained with her weird quirky habits but it wasn't that, that Tate found more confusing yet so intriguing. When Violet turned 16, she began to cut almost everyday. She cut her wrists every night quietly sobbing as she made jagged lines. Tate cringed, the blade that cut her perfect pressed skin oozed out of blood and all he wanted to do was hold her tight. It felt like his dead heart throbbed painfully in his chest as he watched his beautiful flower cry and be in pain.

Tate remembered that day as clear as if it was imprinted tight in his head. He remembered as the harder his heart ached, the more confused he felt. He immediately ran down into the basement and hid down their for weeks, left alone with his thoughts. Violet, Violet.. That was what ran in his mind all night and day.

He was confused. Why was his heart throbbing with so many emotions? Why did he feel the need to comfort her? She had cut herself so many times before that by why was this time any different? He shouted and cursed out loud as he punched the wall and his head so hard with confusion, he died once again.

This time when he woke up, Tate had realised something.

He loved her.

He loved every little tiny flaw about her. He couldn't seem to pinpoint the beginning of where his feelings came from, but after that night, he vowed to protect her.

And so he would.


	2. Chapter 2

VIOLET (10 years old)

"Tate?"

Violet Harmon's 10 year-old voice echoed loudly through her empty hallow room as her eyes peered from beneath her soft blanket, searching any sign around her large room for her friend Tate.

Tate, or Mr Tate as she liked to call him had been her only friend ever since she had moved from LA. At first, Violet had been afraid of him. Something about him felt off and strange and Violet felt an uncomfortable vibe around him. But after meeting him for the first time in her house, Violet had learned that he was friendly. He enjoyed the same things she liked, like birds, insects, any animal. He hated school, just as much as he did and often they would share stories about how they pranked kids at school.

But Tate, had made her promise not to tell her parents or anyone about him. She remembered him saying how much trouble she would get in and he didn't want that, so she kept her mouth shut. Ever since then, Violet and Tate had become close friends, and she loved him like an older brother and a friend she never had.

"Where are you Tate?" She mumbled into the darkness as she sat up her in bed, wrapping the blanket around her. Suddenly, her door creaked open, revealing a crack of fluorescent light to enter her room. A shadow lingered against the door frame and her eyes peered up in hope.

"Tate? Is that you?" She spoke out to the shadow. The shadow said nothing as it shut the door behind them, closing off any light as she watched the shadow move towards her bed.

Her heart jumped as soon as the figure approached and Tate's face shone bright against the reflection of the moon's light.

"Violet, what are you doing awake?" Tate questioned the little girl who leaped out of her bed and wrapped her skinny arms around his neck, burying her head in the crook of his neck. He let out a small smile as he rubbed a hand gently on her back, soothing her as she parted away.

"I had a bad dream Tate, and I couldn't go back to sleep" She sadly said as she sat back in her bed and Tate sat at the foot of her bed, sitting with his legs crossed. His brows frowned. "What was it about?"

Violet let out a small sigh. "I-I dreamt that you died and you went to heaven a-and I never saw you again. It was terrible!" Tate almost choked up then and there as he looked up at the sad little girl who had a frown against her lips.

His dead heart started to beat in his chest as he felt wet tears coming up. He coughed as he turned his head, wiping his eyes in the process hoping Violet wouldn't see him. She was so innocent, naive. At her age, she reminded him so much of his younger sister Adelaide. He missed her so much, he remembered begging Constance to let him see her but she never agreed. She didn't want to taint the only good thing in her life.

He missed that innocence, the feeling of not caring about anything in the world. He craved it. He had felt so empty before he had met Violet. and befriending her felt like he was alive again. He enjoyed her naiveness and the way how she didn't know how much of a shit place the world was.

All he needed was some light, any sort of light in his sorrow darkness. And he hated the fact that he had to lie to his only true, innocent friend.

He cocked his head back to her. "I-Im always going to be here for you Violet, I promise I won't leave you" The lies that escaped his lips seemed to work like magic because the young girl's face lit up like christmas.

She held out her pinky to Tate. "You promise you wont ever leave me?"

Tate stared at her finger for a compromising amount of time. He was scared of making promises he wouldn't be able to keep. He knew that eventually she was going to find out he was dead and that he was stuck in this house forever. He didn't want to hold her back on any important mile stones in her life. He wanted her to go to college, find the love her life and marry someone, have kids with them, build a life and eventually grow old together.

He wasn't scared of making his promise. The only thing he was truly afraid of was her leaving him.

But Tate pushed all those negative thoughts down deep into his mind as he let out a small smile, as he brought his pinky towards hers, intertwining it.

"I promise"


	3. Chapter 3

VIOLET (11 years old)

"You know, it's pretty easy finding you"

Tate's voice cracked through the silent room. He paused for a moment, taking in a deep breath before smirking at the curtain diagonally crossed from him.

It was a typical boring Friday night at the Harmon's house, where 11 year old Violet would be at home with her teenage nanny as they waited for her parents to come home from their dinner. Every Friday night was tradition in that house, Ben and Vivian would spend their Friday evenings eating out downtown to reflect on their days.

 _Ben called it there therapy time._

"I hear you!" Tate said, smirking as he stalked closer to the ruffled curtain. It was not hard playing hide and seek with an 11 year old girl. She made it all the while easier when she didn't know how to hide. And he was dead, he could easily see through things to see.

With confidence, he calmly floated his way over to the curtain, and spread it wide open revealing a shocked Violet. She screamed at the sudden appearance Tate had made before hitting him on the chest.

"No fair! You cheated!" She pouted as she crossed her arms like a 7 year old child. She emerged from the curtains and took a seat on the bed and Tate just smirked. "Your just jealous that your crap and I won" Tate smirked at her as she began to giggle at him.

Tate smiled at her the moment the giggle erupted out as he felt warm. Not literally, but his dead heart somewhat started to feel light. Happy, innocent. Her laugh, her presence. Everything about her, despite her age, made Tate sane. It was like anything that made Tate happy was all pushed into one tiny little girl. His happiness- rested on her.

He knew it sounded creepy, the fact that an 11 year old girl was the source of his happiness. But it was his love and admiration for her. Not romantically speaking kind of love, but maybe the brotherly protecting kind of love. She was so pure, innocent of how the world works. She didn't give a flying shit about anyone or anything. It was her vibe, her happiness that made Tate become attracted to her.

He needed her.

To survive. And Tate would protect her at all costs.

"Mr Tate! Your dreaming again!" She shouts at him as she smiles up at him shaking away Tate's thoughts. He genuinely smiles, "Am not"

"Are to-" Violet argued back as he rolled his eyes at the girls childish little games. Tate roamed around the room before plopping himself on the silk sheets of Violets bed.

"Let's do something fun" Violet offered to Tate as she sat in her desk chair, the fluorescent light shining off her face.

"Like what?" He asks, curiously.

"We could watch The Simpsons again?" Violet peeked a smile as Tate shook his head, staring directly at her. "Boring, we do that all the time" He replied in a vague tone as he collapsed backwards on her bed. Violet bit the bottom of her lip harshly , trying to eagerly come up with something.

"Do you wanna scare Lila again?"

Lila was the teenage popular girl who was babysitting Violet. She was the perfect example of the type of girls Tate hated back in high school. Snobby, constantly thinking they are the shit, rich, perfect little lives. She was such an awful stereotype as well, from the blonde hair to dating the most popular guy at school.

It was like these people were asking to be murdered by Tate.

If Violet wasn't so naive and perfect, Tate would have snapped her pretty little neck ages ago. But would Tate really risk letting Violet see such things at a young age? She needed to grow up normal, away from all the crazy.

"Nah, it gets boring after a while" Tate said momentarily as he paused thinking about the times they scared Lila up in the attic. Tate heard Violet sigh from his replies as he sits up, facing at Violet.

"Then what do you wanna do? I'm so bored that I'll even let you take pictures of me in a dress" She said sarcastically as Tate snorted. Violet hated dresses but the one time she wore them, he wasn't there to take a picture of it. He wanted to laugh at her and mock her but deep down, Tate wanted to treasure this forever.

"I don't know" He paused slightly as he racked his brain for any fun ideas. It was silent for a while as each were both wrapped up in their own thoughts until the sound of a car driving through the gates snapped them out of their thoughts.

Tate's face scrunched up in confusion as Violet's chair squeaked as she ran to the window, peering outside. Tate glanced at the clock and it said 11:50pm. It was unusually late for the Harmons to be arriving this late.

"Oh no! I'll get in trouble for being awake!" Violet shrieked as Tate stood up from the bed, watching her a she scrambled out of her regular clothes into a pair of fluffy stripped pyjamas.

"I got you" Tate said as he quickly turned off the light and hid away Violet's books and records before rushing back over to the bed, lifting the covers to help her slide in.

He sat on the edge of her bed, watching her but immensely listening to the sound of the door opening loudly and being slammed shut which confused Tate. Usually they weren't that loud when coming home.

"Be quiet, I'll go check them out" Tate said reassuringly to Violet who just nodded her head. Taking that as a go, Tate floated his way down the hallway and appeared into the downstairs hallway, making himself invisible as he watched the Harmons.

Vivian had tears running down her face, her blonde curly hair disheveled from the heavy wet weather outside. She looked disgusted, yet angry as she threw off her heels. Ben came in, following as he looked distraught.

The must've fought.

"Hi Mr and Mrs Harmon, Violet's asleep so-… are you alright?" Lila said, emerging from the living room as she held a tight grip on her bag as she looked at the couple.

Vivian scoffed before looking away, Ben gulped. "I'm fine, go get home now. Here's the money, keep the change" Ben hastily said as he chucked her a few bills, slapping it into her hand.

"Uh, okay thanks!" She said awkwardly, giving Vivian a smile before running out the door.

Tate didn't blame her for looking so eager to leave. If that was him, he would've done the same thing. As soon as the door slammed, Vivian began to shout.

"I can't believe you Ben!"

"Vivian please, listen-"

"No! Don't touch me!"

The continuous shouts of their fight was so typical that it was the same insults thrown here and there. Vivian would accuse Ben of cheating again, she would threaten to leave him and take Violet with her and throw things while Ben will be on the verge of crying, begging her to stop and forgive him.

It disgusted him. How Ben treated Vivian and how she treated him. There relationship was toxic from the moment Vivian caught her husband cheating. They were like two moths attracted to a deadly toxic flame. Tate hated them both, for fighting and ruining Violet's life. They couldn't even put up a happy front for her.

He couldn't let them either take Violet away. He especially did not want her growing up in a broken home like he did. Selfish, vain mother and a low life father with 3 other siblings. He didn't want her to grow up unhappy and unloved.

Angry at the both of them, Tate acts out as he lunges behind Vivian and shoves her roughly forward. Her body jerks roughly towards Ben who catches her. Vivian, shocked, screams at Ben before hitting him. It was useless, they were over whether either of them wanted to admit it.

Tate immediately floats himself back upstairs into Violet's room, ignoring all the loud yelling and smashing of items that gets fainter the more he distances himself. He opens the door to the darkly lit room to hear his sunshine crying.

Tate's heart throbbed in his chest as the tension in the room started to rise, hearing her hiccups between her heavy sobs. He closed the door behind him, as he walked over to her bed, sitting beside her.

It was silent for a bit, the sound of her heart beating rapidly in her chest as her loud sobs racked the room. Her fists were curled up beneath her face as she buried her face in the pillow. Tate comfortingly stroked her arm and Violet finally looks up at him.

Her teary wet puppy face looks up at him like he was the only one in the world she needed. He couldn't help but feel pain as he watched her cry more.

"Why do they keep fighting?" Violet questions as she shakes her head at him, wiping the continuous tears flowing down her face. Tate gulped nervously.

"There just too stupid-" He comfortingly says to her as he puts a piece of her dirty blonde hair behind her ear. "-Parent's suck"

She chokes a bit as a smile lights up on her lips and Tate felt lighter, seeing her smile. "Your right, there shit"

He laughs as she sits up and stares at him. There eyes connect and for a minute, Tate saw their future. She would be almost 25 years old, carrying Tate's child in her stomach. He suddenly felt woozy and fuzzy in his stomach from the thought and Tate couldn't help but choke on the vision.

 _What was that? Was it real?_

"Tate" she says quietly as she grabs his hand, curling her small hand around his. Tate felt nervous from their touch but shook his head. He couldn't have feelings for her, she was only 11 years old.

"Y-yeah?"

"Sleep with me tonight please" She begged quietly as she shook his hand squeezing it hard. Tate's eyes widen at her request. She was still young, she was too naive and innocent to the world. He didn't want to gain more feelings for her than he already did.

"But boys don't sleep with girls, girls have cooties" Tate playfully jokes around at her but she doesn't smile. Instead, she pulls his hand over her shoulder before laying down.

"Please Mr Tate?" She says softly, nudging him.

Tate sighs as the next thing he found himself doing was shuffling over beside her as he laid next to her. He waited several minutes before she fell asleep before Tate stood back up again.

He looked down at her and smiled. She was everything to him and no matter what she did or how old she grew to be, she would always be his little sunshine. And as he stood there staring down at her, all he could think about and all he could ever see was,

His redemption.


End file.
